Washington ESD unemployment if u get fired - do you qualify?

Yes, you can still get unemployment benefits even if you were fired, but it depends on WHY you were fired. Washington ESD will review your case to determine if the termination was for 'misconduct.' Performance issues usually don't count as misconduct unless it was willful or you repeatedly ignored training.

File your claim immediately! Even if your employer contests it, you should still file. Washington ESD will investigate and make a determination. I was fired for 'performance' last year and still got my benefits after they reviewed my case.

I had trouble getting through to Washington ESD when my employer contested my claim. Kept getting busy signals and disconnected calls. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual agent who explained the whole process. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!! They'll find any excuse to deny your claim and side with the employer. I got fired for 'attendance' even though I had legitimate medical reasons and they still denied my UI benefits initially. Had to go through a whole appeal process.

just file online at secure.esd.wa.gov and let them sort it out. worst case they say no and you appeal. but definitely file within the first week of unemployment or you could lose benefits for that week

Make sure you're honest about the reason for termination when filing. Washington ESD will contact your former employer anyway, so any discrepancies will hurt your case. If they fired you for performance, say that - don't try to make it sound like something else.

depends on if you were fired for cause or not. if its just performance they usually approve you but if you stole something or got caught doing drugs then probably not

I went through this exact situation 6 months ago. Got fired for 'not being a good fit' which was basically performance. Filed immediately and got approved after about 2 weeks. The key is filing right away and being prepared to provide your side of the story if they do an adjudication review.

If Washington ESD does put your claim in adjudication status, don't panic. It just means they're investigating the circumstances of your termination. Keep filing your weekly claims during this time even though you won't get paid until it's resolved.

When I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my adjudication status, Claimyr really saved me. Instead of spending days trying to call, I was talking to an agent within an hour. They explained exactly what documents I needed and what the timeline would be.

also remember you have to do job searches every week once your claim is active. keep track of where you apply because washington esd can audit your job search log

The current job search requirement is 3 qualifying job search activities per week. This can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, or completing WorkSourceWA workshops. Keep detailed records of all activities.

my friend got fired and they made her wait like 6 weeks before getting any money. something about adjudication taking forever

Pro tip: if your employer contests your claim, gather any evidence that shows you were trying to do your job properly. Performance reviews, emails asking for help or clarification, training records, etc. This stuff really helps during adjudication.

Washington ESD is so backed up right now. I've been trying to get someone on the phone about my claim for weeks. The system is broken and they don't care about helping people who actually need it.

thanks everyone for all the advice! im going to file my claim today and be completely honest about what happened. hopefully it goes smoothly but at least now i know what to expect if they contest it

yeah definitely file asap. even if they deny initially you can always appeal. better to get the process started than wait and miss out on benefits you might be entitled to

good luck with your claim! the whole process is stressful but most people do end up getting benefits if they were fired for performance stuff rather than actual misconduct

Just to summarize for anyone else reading this: getting fired doesn't automatically disqualify you from unemployment benefits in Washington. The key factors are whether the termination was for misconduct (willful violations, theft, etc.) versus performance issues or other non-misconduct reasons. Always file your claim promptly and be honest about the circumstances.